Chicken risotto and scary toys

I feel acutely embarrassed on Java’s behalf telling you this story, but needs must. A few weeks ago, a kind friend gave us some stuffed toys. Obviously I don’t play with toys because I’m fully-developed and mature, not an emotional car crash like some. So I gallantly left them all to ‘some’. She seemed to quite enjoy them at first, but soon became terrified after trying to ‘kill’ one of them with her dainty little girl teeth. Its insides spewed out all over her bed, traumatising her so much that she wouldn’t go near the bed after that, even once Bossy had tidied up. Of course this meant that she ended up on my bed and I had to decamp to the couch because she snores like a steam train. In an attempt to regain my bed, I tried to explain that she hadn’t really killed the toys because they weren’t alive in the first place and their ‘innards’ were only stuffing, but her dippiness has hidden depths and she wasn’t to be consoled. One thing I’ve noticed is that dogs with very long names – Java’s full name is Java de la Croix de Ganelon – are often the most irretrievably dippy. I’m just plain old Hugo, which speaks volumes don’t you think?

Ingredients (serves 4)

1 tablespoon olive oil or ghee

1 onion, chopped

1 shallot, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

6 mushrooms, sliced

400g rice (I used basmati)

50ml white wine

Se salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon saffron

½ teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon paprika

2 tomatoes, blanched, peeled and chopped

1 litre chicken or vegetable stock

200g frozen peas

100g bacon, cooked and sliced

400g leftover chicken

50g parmesan, grated

Heat the oil or ghee in a large frying pan and brown the onions, shallot, mushrooms and garlic until soft. Add the rice and stir well until it is all coated with oil, then add the wine and simmer until reduced. Add the seasoning and tomatoes and then about a quarter of the stock and leave to simmer, stirring until the stock has been absorbed. Add the peas and continue adding stock and stirring until the rice is almost cooked. Add the bacon and chicken, stirring well. Once the bacon and chicken are completely heated through and the rice is cooked, remove from the heat and add the grated parmesan, stirring until melted.

6 responses to “Chicken risotto and scary toys”

Hugo, I’ve noticed the same with humans with inordinantly long names. LOLl Sounds like Java is very sensitive and frightens easily, one day she will learn from you to take these sort of things in stride.
Love the chicken risotto, a great meal with a lovely salad.

That’s funny Mrs Pug because Bossy said exactly the same thing! You’re certainly right about Java frightening easily – the thing is that sometimes think she might be putting it on a bit for effect. I loved the chicken risotto too. 🙂 Have a nice weekend. Hugo.

I totally agree with you Hugo, I’m Evie and I’m a rather precocious 6 month old Jack Russell puppy, but at least I am just plain Evie. Unlike the other Jack Russell in the house, he has this long name Rascalee Bentley, why? I mean no one ever calls him Rascalee and it really doesn’t make him any better than me, he’s just a bit of a snob that’s all!
By the way, mouth watering at the thought of chicken risotto, think I will make it for tomorrow’s supper. Have a great weekend